Arachne
by Simusar
Summary: Archaeologist Carol Peters, suffers a change that will bring a new hero into the world. (Disclaimer, the only character I own is Carol Peters/Arachne)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Tomb and The Island

The sand storm was dying down; it had been blowing for the better part of the day, trapping the lone archeologist in the recently rediscovered tomb. Carol Peters, while more of a book worm, was certainly a beauty. Her long crimson hair, deep emerald eyes and athletic build were often plenty to draw the attention of both men and women. But now, there was no one around for miles. What drew a woman like her out into the deserts of Egypt? A story she had heard of an ancient traveler that had journeyed from a far off land. The story told of a woman fleeing the wrath of the Gods. It took years to find the right tomb, most who sought out the tomb never strayed far from Cairo.  
Only Carol was brave enough to weather the desert to search for her prize. Not concerned for wealth or fame, her only goal was to learn the truth of the greatest secrets and stories the world has ever known. Long has she been fascinated with the lore and myths of Ancient Greece. The Gods had had a huge impact on the world as a whole. From the trials of Heracles to the wars set upon the mortals by the Gods themselves.  
One question still bothered her though, how had a trinket from Ancient Greece wound all the way out here in the middle of the Egyptian desert? She, like so many before her, expected it to reside in the pyramids. But local stories led out into the sandy dunes, far away from civilization. The tomb had been difficult to locate but after two weeks of searching, traveling at night to avoid the cruel sun, she finally found the final landmark that pointed to the entrance. She had been at the tomb for two days deciphering the wall text and traps. All her efforts were rewarded when she finally found what she was looking for, a small, ordinary chest that looked out of place. It had Greek and Latin writing, while the rest of the tomb had hieroglyphics. One word drew her interest, the word "Spider". Inside the chest was an amulet. The amulet was adorned with a black spider that had a bright red mark on its back.  
With her prize in hand, she returned to the camp she had set at the entrance, a good day's rest before heading back to port. She had to discuss this find with her colleague that was waiting for her in Athens. After several days travel, she finally made it to the port in Cairo, her ship waiting in wet dock. Once aboard, she went straight to her cabin for a shower, change, and some food. After nearly a month of rations, a nice, hot meal was the perfect thing to end this venture. As night fell, Carol walked around on deck, enjoying the beautiful night sky on the Mediterranean Sea, and marveling at her discovery. Off on the horizon, clouds were forming. Before she knew it, the storm was upon their ship, causing violent waves to rattle and rock the boat. She didn't have time to react before she was thrown overboard, her form quickly lost in the dark waters. The ship's crew spent hours searching for her, once they discovered she was missing. But they had no luck, the beautiful woman, and her medallion, were lost to the sea.  
The soft waves carried the water logged redhead to the sandy shores. The unconscious body washed ashore, resting on the beach. The sounds of horse hooves trotting along stirred the young woman. Her eyes opened for a brief moment, just long enough to see a beautiful woman, astride a horse, wearing what looked like a dress she had seen in stories of ancient Greece. That was all she was capable of before sleep overtook her again. The woman riding the horse, upon seeing the prone, drenched woman on the shore, dismounted her steed, and ran to the unconscious form, and inspected her. No injuries, still breathing, she would be fine. Hippolyta, lifted the sleeping woman into her arms, and laid her on the back of her horse. Mounting the steed herself, she rode off, bringing the unexpected visitor to Themiscyra, to the palace, where she would be tended to, at least until this outsider could explain.  
Soft bedding wrapped Carol snugly in her dreams, dreams of her adventures, dreams of finding treasures; her final dream was of the storm that cast her off the ship that was to carry her back to Greece. The rustling of movement invaded her sleep, drawing her back to the waking world. Deep green eyes slowly peeked out from behind her eyelids. Soft sunlight streamed in through a nearby window. Song birds chirped happily in the warm weather. She could hear voices, but something was strange, she could only hear the voices of women. Sitting up slowly, she turned to take in her surroundings. Where was she? The brick house she was in was unlike any she had ever seen before. It was ancient in design, but looked as new as possible. Looking down at her body, she noticed she no longer wore the clothes she had been in on the ship. No, she was wearing a type of dress, one like that of the woman she saw on the beach. The dress was simple, short sleeves and the skirt went to just above her knees. The outfit was durable, yet light and breathed easily, her 32C-24-34 frame perfectly wrapped in the soft fabric.  
She stood from the bed, making her way quietly to the only door in the room. She listened for sounds on the other side, easing the door open slowly. As she peered through the narrow opening, she saw people walking around, well not really, she only saw women, all of them dressed like she was. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door fully, pausing for a moment before stepping outside. The cool breeze greeted her as she stepped through to the outside. As she looked around she noticed more and more that she could see no men. Where were they? Surely not all of the men would be out of the city. What about store owners, or the elderly? As she walked closer to the street her presence became noticed. Some of the women turned to her, looking her up and down, before showing friendly smiles. Returning the smile, Carol noticed something else, all of the women here were tall, athletic, and beautiful. Not a single one of them showed signs of imperfection. A redhead and brunette walked up to her, each extending their hands in a gesture of greeting. Taking each hand in turn, Carol gave her name and received theirs. The redhead was named Artemis, and the brunette, Diana. Both of them hand very strong handshakes. Standing at 6', Diana and 6'2", Artemis both towered over Carol's own 5'8".  
"Queen Hippolyta wanted to see you once you had woken," said Diana, gesturing towards the largest building in the area. "Hippolyta, that name sounds familiar, she was the Queen of the Amazons," Carol replied. "Was? She IS our Queen," responded Artemis, taking stride towards the palace. "How can that be? The Amazons were a myth from Ancient Greece. The stories are thousands of years old," stated Carol, her resolve of these "truths" diminishing with each step and glance she took. "They're more than mere stories," Diana said, looking back over her shoulder, "Now hurry, we shouldn't keep Mother waiting." The trio continued on towards the palace. Once inside, Carol noticed the palace was not lavish, or ornate, rather it was simple, welcoming, unlike any palace she had seen before. She saw a beautiful garden, with several women tending to the plants. She could identify several herbs, fruits and vegetables. As they entered the throne room, Diana and Artemis knelt down before their beautiful Queen. Artemis looked back at Carol and harshly whispered for her to kneel as well.  
As she made to kneel herself, Queen Hippolyta lifted her hand and rose to her feet. "That is not necessary, all I require of you is your name and your purpose on my island," the Queen said, walking slowly towards the three women. "My name is Carol Peters, and I didn't even know your island existed," came the reply, "I had read about it in ancient stories, but I never believed it was real." "Oh, it is very real, as are my Amazons," Hippolyta responded. "If you didn't know of us, then how did you come upon our island?" came the question. "My ship was sailing from Egypt towards Greece, when a storm came in, the waves knocked me overboard. The last thing I remember is hitting the water," Carol answered. "Well, that is unfortunate; I can give you a choice. You can either stay here, and join the Amazons, or we can return you to the world of man," proposed the Queen. "Hmmm," Carol tilted her head with her finger to her temple as if in thought, "an island paradise, and no men to screw things up? What woman could turn that down?" she finished with a smile. All three other women smiled with her.  
"One item found in your possession was an amulet, what do you know of it?" the question came from Diana this time. "I found it in a tomb out in the middle of the Egyptian desert. I recognized the writing, and was on my way to consult a colleague about it when the storm hit," answered Carol. "It is the Pendant of Arachne," stated Artemis. "The woman who challenged Athena to a weaving contest?" queried Carol. "The very same," answered Hippolyta. "You may keep the pendant, do with it what you will," stated the Queen dismissing the trio.  
The three beauties departed the palace, Artemis and Diana escorting Carol back to her new home. "Will you be joining us for training later?" Artemis asked, looking at Carol, with an eyebrow raised. "What kind of training do you have in mind?" responded the new resident of Themiscyra. "New recruits usually start off with staff training, later moving on to swords and shields, and then archery," answered Diana. "Sounds like fun," Carol said. The two left Carol at her knew domicile to relax for the next few hours before training. Carol closed the door behind her, walking over to her old clothes, searching for her cloth-wrapped pendant. Inspecting the artifact closely, the spider seemed to sparkle. Lifting the necklace, she placed it around her neck, checking her appearance in the mirror on the dresser. Admiring how the jewel in the pendant sparkled, she felt... different, more aware of her surroundings.  
The time for training had come, and Diana arrived to pick Carol up and take her to the training field. As the two walked Diana pointed out various locations around the village. When they reached the training grounds, Diana led Carol over to a table where there was a pair of silver bracers lying in wait. As the pair reached the table, Diana reached out and took the bracers in hand, turning to face her new sister. Carol raised her eyebrow in question, "What are these for?" asked the new crimson haired Amazon. "These are the indestructible 'Bracers of Submission', forged from Zeus's Aegis," came the reply. "Every Amazon receives a pair when they begin their training." After affixing her new bracers to her wrists, Carol tested her range of motion and got a feel for the wait of her new arm wear, they were surprisingly light. After a few hours, while they were sitting to rest, Carol asked Diana, "So, what are we training for?" "The final battle," came the reply. "Final battle?" Carol inquired. "Armageddon, the End Times, call it what you will, but it is a time when the Titans rise again to slay the Gods of Olympus," answered Artemis who was still in the midst of her sword battle, never missing a beat. "You called Queen Hippolyta 'Mother' earlier, are all Amazons her daughters?" came the question on Carol's mind. "No, many Amazons are like you, they are found and made into one of our sisters, though normally at a younger age," Diana responded. "Well if she's your mother, who's your father?" the question came almost before she thought of it. "My father is... Zeus," came the response from the raven haired princess. "Zeus? Wow, from what I've read, he's not exactly 'Father of the Year' material," said Carol. "I know what you mean," Diana responded  
Several more hours of training passed, and while tired, Carol wasn't as exhausted as she expected to be. She had been more agile than she had ever been, and her parries and blocks came almost out of instinct. Her skill needed to be improved, but there was something different about her, something she couldn't explain. After training had finished, Carol returned to her quarters to bathe and sleep. After undressing for her bath, she examined her talisman, and noticed that the ruby embedded into it was glowing more brightly than before. Dismissing it for the moment, she would ask Hippolyta about it in the morning. Training continued daily for several months, it became routine: Physical training in the morning, consisting of running, weight lifting and other various exercises. After morning training, there was a breakfast feast in the palace, where everyone was invited. Next, came chores, such as watering and maintaining crops, and feeding livestock. The ecosystem here was self-sustaining, in short, it was perfect. After lunch came the afternoon combat training, each day saw improvements for Carol, and each day also saw an increase in her new-found 'gifts' from her pendant. Queen Hippolyta had explained that the medallion of Arachne seemed to have gifted her with supernatural abilities. The magic behind the amulet had interfered with the attempt to imbue Carol with the Amazonian gifts.  
With the discovery of Carol's new-found abilities, and the hindrance they played in making her a 'true' Amazon, Queen Hippolyta, Diana, and Carol made a trip to see Hephaestus. Once in the Forge of the Gods, Hippolyta bid the master smith to forge Carol's amulet with her bracers. The work took little time, and soon Carol's bracers and amulet were one, granting her the medallion's gifts at all times. As each day passed, she felt her gifts grow stronger. Another gift she noticed that Hephaestus added to her bracers was the ability to shoot a spider's web like substance from her wrists. This ability worked perfectly with her near omnipresent sense of her surroundings.  
As the years passed, Carol was quickly becoming one of the best warriors among the Amazons. Hippolyta even offered her the mantel of 'Wonder Woman' to which she declined, saying that it didn't feel like her place or role in life, that is should be worn by a true daughter of the Amazons. Carol and Diana had grown particularly close during the time. Carol, like so many other girls, had experimented in college, and Diana's perfection was surely a sight to behold. Nothing serious, at least that the others bore witness too, developed between the two, beyond an attraction that caused a rumor or two to find their way around the island; Carol had always preferred men, but could certainly appreciate a beautiful woman.  
Queen Hippolyta, ever the observant one, noticed that Carol was spending more and more time on the beach where she was first found, gazing out over the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, longing for the world of man, and her former life. With this knowledge, the Queen of the Amazons made another trip to see Hephaestus. After Carol had been on Themiscyra for five years, the feeling of homesickness was almost too much to bear, she would spend most of the day gazing out over the waters surrounding the island, longing for the outside world. On the fifth anniversary of her arrival, she was called to meet with Hippolyta. The Queen had asked for the two of them to be left alone. When they had their privacy, the Queen let her reason for the meeting be known. "I've been watching you over the years, how you've grown as a warrior, as an Amazon," she started. "But I've also seen the longing in your eyes, the longing to return to your old life, to the world of man. I can't keep you here, and nothing pains me more than seeing the pain of homesickness in your eyes. So, should you wish it, I will grant you passage back to the world of man," the Queen continued. "But I have one last gift to give you," she said as she presented Carol with a leather wrapped parcel. "You shouldn't have," Carol replied, accepting the gift gracefully. Unwrapping the parcel revealed a suit of armor, similar in design to the Wonder Woman armor, but this armor was different. The chest piece, which fit like a second skin, was dark silver and had a metallic red spider web design that accentuated her form. The bottoms were plain black, the darkness a stark contrast to her naturally lighter skin tone, the belt a shiny, metallic red, along with the lining at the top that encircled her back and came to the front and the swell of her breasts. The tiara matched the rest of the armor with a simple, triangular ruby in the middle. The final piece of the armor was a pair of knee-high dark silver boots with red, three inch stiletto heels, lined on top with metallic red peaks. Despite being armor, the boots had a flexibility to them; actually all pieces of the armor had a flexibility to them that was unbelievable. It truly was like wearing a second skin, yet she could feel the power flowing through the armor.  
Carol thanked Hippolyta for the gift, and for everything the Queen had done for her throughout the five years. All of the Amazons gathered to see their sister off, with the promise that she would return to visit. Diana and Artemis each gave their sister a hug, the three having grown especially close over their short time together, they really were like sisters. Carol climbed inside of Queen Hippolyta's invisible jet, as it took her back to the land of men, back to the United States of America, back to her home. Once she landed, she set the plane to return, leaving her to reintegrate herself into society, not to mention, she had to be brought back to life, legally anyway.  
Initially she wore a mask with her armor, to hide her identity, but after an incident that left her with no time to fully change, she always wore the armor under her clothing, she gave up the mask, and let it be known that the new hero, Arachne, was indeed, Carol Peters. She would long be known as the heroine with spider-like powers; super strength, omnipresent awareness, and uncanny sense for danger, and agility unmatched by any other living being. She could fight off entire armies without a scratch on her.

End Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home

Queen Hippolyta's invisible jet dropped off the wayward archeologist on the roof of her old apartment complex in downtown Gotham City. Under stealth of night, she climbed down the side of the building into the side ally. Once on street level, she checked over her appearance again. Everything was in place, not a glimpse of her armor could be seen underneath her archeologist garb. Walking to the front of the building, she entered through the main door, her bags slung over her shoulder. The landlord, looking up briefly, did a double take at seeing the crimson-haired beauty that had just walked in. "Carol? Carol Peters? Where have you been? Everyone thought you were dead; you've even been declared legally dead by the courts," old man Jones spat out the questions a mile a minute, still even more bubbling just out of reach of his tongue. "Whoa, whoa, slow down there, I'll answer your questions," she replied. "First, yes it's me; second, after my expedition to Egypt, I got stranded on an island on my way back to Greece," the long lost red head continued. "About 2 weeks ago, a passing ship took notice of my signal fire and came to my rescue," she finished.

After the barrage of questions was finally over, she collected her old apartment key and trudged up the many stairs. Once she finally reached her old living space, she opened the door just as she had so many times before. Even after five years, her landlord hadn't seemed to have the heart to change anything. He'd always been a good friend to her, the old man treating her more like a daughter than a mere tenant. The kind old man even went so far as to keep her things clean by dusting her apartment weekly. If she had to tell the truth, old man Jones was possibly the closest thing she had to a father. Never knowing her birth parents, she was raised in the foster care system, eventually being adopted after turning 12 years old. The kind couple treated her well, but Carol never felt like they were family. They pushed her and encouraged her to follow her dreams. With their support, she excelled in school, graduating early from high school at the age of 15; continuing on to graduate college with a bachelor's degree in Ancient History at the age of 18 where she started her internship at the same college in their Archeology Department. After a short year, she was hired on, and over the next 4 years, she rapidly ascended the ladder, gaining popularity throughout the faculty. So it was a great shock when news of her having gone missing reached the school. Many people mourned her loss, so much so that the institute declared her birthday as a special day of quiet remembrance.

The news of her return brought tremendous joy to everyone. It was such an event that even the great Bruce Wayne made an appearance, his presence garnering the attention of the media. Never being on for the lime light, Carol Peters tended to be more on the shy side, all the attention making her nervous. This natural shyness is what led her to design a mask, but more on that later. Bruce Wayne himself approached the awkward red head extending his hand while his form towered over hers. "I heard the news of your return, you've made quite the scene," the billionaire stated. "Five years is a long time to disappear," he continued gazing over her smaller frame, taking note of her beauty, yet the firmness of her handshake. Carol couldn't help but look up the famous man in front of her; the man who had only returned to Gotham City a year before her trip to Egypt. His return had garnered much joy at the return of the "prodigal son" of Thomas Wayne. Strangely in that same year, a new creature, or man, not much was known at the time, appeared, a creature the police called the Batman. "Yes it is, and am I glad to be back home," she replied. "It seems your colleagues are happy to have you back safe and sound," the billionaire responded before wondering off, there were holes in her story, and he would have to get to the bottom of this mystery. All throughout the ceremony, Carol noticed that Mr. Wayne would frequently look over at her, sometimes staring for several seconds, before someone would draw his attention away.

After a couple hours the party wound down, people left, and the faculty started to clean up and pack things away. But still Bruce Wayne remained, hanging back as the workers did their job, keeping an eye on the beautiful woman who held his interest. He watched the crimson-haired beauty as she spoke with her colleagues, waiting for the prime opportunity. Once her friends had finally left, Bruce chose to approach the woman who, for some reason, held his interest so keenly. Carol, sensing the approach, turned to meet the gaze of the handsome man walking towards her. Never had she been the object of interest of someone like him before, and she wasn't sure how to handle the situation. So she did what she always did, she avoided eye contact until he spoke. "It was a pleasure to meet you Ms. Peters," Bruce started. "Please, call me Carol," she interrupted. "Fine, Carol, a beautiful name for a beautiful woman," he complimented, smiling gently while looking into her expressive green eyes. A blush crept over her face at the generous comment. "Would you like to join me for dinner sometime? My treat," the dark haired man offered, taking her hand gently in his. Not knowing how to respond, her words fumbled around in her head. A smirk grew on his face as he leaned in close to her ear, "I'll pick you up tomorrow night at 7pm," he stated before lifting her hand to his face and placing a soft kiss across her knuckles, the slight glimpse of silver from under her sleeve not escaping his notice. With that, Bruce Wayne left Carol Peters speechless and blushing as he strolled back towards his car where his butler opened the door for him, before driving off. It took several moments for her mind to catch up to her racing heart, Bruce Wayne had just asked her out... on a date. She couldn't believe it.

Several hours later, while resting and mulling over the day's events in her mind, her special senses picked up on his presence before he even entered through her window. To her credit, she sat still, playing at being unaware, waiting to see the intent of the intruder. He was certain that she knew he was there, he couldn't explain it, but somehow she just seemed a little too unobservant for someone who spent five years surviving on an island. Whether she knew or not, he decided to make his presence known, "Carol Peters," Batman stated, standing ominously with his long black cape encircling him, his pointy eared cowl masking all but his chin and mouth. "You must be the Batman I've heard so much about," Carol replied without turning to face the unexpected guest. "There are holes in your story," the darkly clad man started. "There are no reports of sailors finding you on an island; no shipping manifest with a woman matching your description, and no sailors mentioning a mysterious island in the Mediterranean Sea," the Batman finished, stalking into the apartment to confront the woman. "What really happened to you over the last five years?" the Dark Knight questioned. "Everything I said in my reports is the truth," Carol retorted, finally turning to confront the costumed man. "Then where did you get that jewelry you wear on your wrists? Someone in your position would have a difficult time affording such things," Batman stated, using all of his menacing tactics to try to draw out the truth from this beautiful woman. "Remember that expedition I made to Egypt? I found them there," the emerald eyed woman began. "During my time on the island, I grew attached to them," she finished, standing her ground. "But where is this mysterious island? Sailors that have traveled the Mediterranean for years and never reported seeing an island that matches your description," Batman said with finality. "Well, I don't know what to tell you other than what I know happened, if you don't believe me, that's your problem," she said with an air to end the conversation, turning away from the Dark Knight. "Now, please leave before I call the cops," she finished over her shoulder, not making the effort to actually look at the man she knew was still inside her home. Despite being unable to hear him, she knew when he left. She could still feel his presence as he perched atop the roof across the street.

The Batman waited for 30 minutes before leaving, he had to process this new information. Carol spent the rest of the night working on creating a mask to wear. The mask was black with a red spider web-like design, similar to her breast piece. The mask covered her brow, eyes, and cheekbones while leaving her mouth unobstructed, and allowing her hair to flow freely. Her time with the Amazons had boosted her confidence, but being back in the world of man, all her old insecurities came flooding back. She had gifts now, gifts that could be used to help people, but her insecurities kept her from letting the world know who she was. She had always strove to help others, but now, she could make a real difference in the world. Maybe she could even be as great as Superman.

A scream, while on her way to the college campus, drew her attention. She looked over to see three men inside a bank with masks and guns, they were robbing the bank! Looking around, she found a dark spot between two buildings. She ducked inside to change. Once she fit her mask into place, she scaled the building adjacent to the bank. In order to assure no one got hurt, she would need to use stealth. She entered the building via the roof access, quickly finding the elevator shaft, and making her way down to the ground floor. Lucky for her, the ventilation ducts had an opening in the elevator shaft, allowing her access without being seen inside the bank. Once she was over the robber who stood behind the others, she dropped down silently, capturing her prey, silencing him before he could make a sound. In an instant he was bound and stuck to the ceiling with her special webbing, courteous of Hephaestus. With her reflexes, she managed to grab the man's gun before it clattered to the floor. The next robber was dealt with just as swiftly and easily. The final villain, unaware of his friends' plight, continued to speak and bark out orders to the helpless people he was aiming his weapon at. She deftly dropped to the floor, standing right behind who she assumed was the leader of this band of crooks. Lightly she tapped on the man's shoulder, "Not now Steven, we have to round up the money before the cops or Batman shows up," the criminal stated, not bothering to look back over his shoulder. Tapping again, she finally warranted enough of the man's attention. "I said not now..." he began, slowly turning, expecting to see his comrade. Before the next thought could form in his mind, her right hand connected with his face, knocking him out before she used her webbing to tie up the villain.

When the police arrived, they were met with stories of how this strange woman wearing what looked like lingerie, styled after a spider, with matching boots and mask, and silver arm bands. She hand long, red hair, and clung to the walls like a spider. As the officers searched the area for clues, one of them noticed something strange on one of the walls; it looked like a spider's web. Stepping back, he swept his light on the webbing. What he saw when he stepped back was one word, scrawled out in giant letters. That word was Arachne.

After the police left, at night, Batman entered the bank to do his own investigation. He'd read the police report, long red hair and silver arm bands. It sounded like a certain Carol Peters. He'd never heard of someone with the abilities described, until now. He ventured over to the wall that was mentioned in the report. Shining his light on the wall, he saw the same as the Officer earlier. "Arachne..." he muttered to himself. Whether it was her or not, he had to find out who this new "hero" was, and what her intent could be. Gotham was his city to protect, and he wouldn't let some renegade run rampant in his town. He would get to the bottom of this.

After their dinner together, Carol rarely saw or heard from Bruce, but she had noticed Batman hanging around outside her apartment several times. He was probably suspecting that she was Arachne, which, while he was right, she would never admit it. Her years of braving into trap-filled tombs and left her with plenty of knowledge on how to set up traps and deceptions. She rarely left her blinds open, even if she were home; she had to maintain the sense of habit and privacy. Her illusion seemed to work as she was able to sneak out and away on a few occasions. Over the next couple of months, Batman had confronted Arachne several times. The first few confrontations started with Batman's usual harsh questions, and ended with the two fighting briefly before realizing their need to help citizens in danger.

One day, while in the midst of a lecture she was giving on ancient civilizations, particularly Ancient Rome and Greece, her 6th sense lit up like fireworks. Something bad was going to happen, and soon. That was all the warning she was afforded as the building was rocked by an explosion. The southern wall blew in, prompting her into action. She didn't have time to change; leaping into action, she swept up a student who was about to be struck by a falling piece of rubble. Once the kid was safe, she took off, shooting her webbing to create a net, catching the rest of the debris safely above the students. Once she was sure everyone was safe, and the building wouldn't collapse further, she swung away, landing on a roof-top a block away searching for the person who'd caused the explosion. A muffled cry below her alerted her to the body tied up and dangling from the roof, definitely Batman's handiwork.

Once she was out of sight, she immediately noticed his presence behind her. "Hello again Batman," she turned to face the Dark Knight noticing the complete lack of surprise on his face. "Hello Carol, or is it Arachne?" he asked, not giving an inch. "Why did you jump in without your mask?" he asked, curious as to why she would throw away her secret identity so quickly after establishing it. "There wasn't time, if I'd waited any longer, that boy would be dead now. What's more important? The life of an innocent, or the identity of an archeologist who disappeared for five years, only to return at the same time that some new super hero shows up?" came the response. "You were already suspicious of me from the start; soon the police would have caught on as well," she finished. While she had been talking, she had changed, shedding her outerwear, and revealing her armor. "What about your family and friends? If the wrong people found out, they would stop at nothing to get to you through them," the Caped Crusader stated with a hint of question in his voice. "I have no family; I never knew my real parents, and my adopted parents died years ago. As for friends, I was never very good at making them. All I have are colleagues at work," Arachne responded. "With your choice, you may have put them in danger," Batman suggested, unable to disguise his concern. Noticing the sudden change in him, Carol smirked knowingly; finally she had pieced it all together. "So who does Batman protect with his mask, Mr. Bruce Wayne?" she inquired, slowly reaching for his cowl. He made no attempt to stop her as she lifted his mask, revealing the truth she'd been suspecting for a while now. "How did you know?" he asked, surprised with himself for allowing someone he barely knew to unmask him out in the open like this. "Your aura," the red-headed beauty stated so matter-of-factually. "When I met you at the party, I got a feel for your spirit's energy. Then when you approached me as Batman, I got a similar feeling; that raised my suspicions. Today only proved it," she finished. She looked at her mask, the only piece not forged by Hephaestus. With a sigh, she tossed it at the Dark Knight saying, "Here, you keep it."

Batman said nothing as Arachne reached into her pack, placing her tiara on her head, and slipping her boots on, admiring her figure as she flipped her hair out of her face. While she was adding the last pieces of her armor, Batman had replaced his cowl over his head. She stood before him, hands on her hips, shoulders square as he took in her appearance. Slowly she strode up to the Dark Knight, reaching up to meet his 6'2", gently brushing her lips against his before turning and walking to the edge of the roof. With one last glance back, she winked at the tall, dark and handsome man, before jumping from the roof, and swinging off into the city. While he watched the red-haired woman disappear into his city, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. This will be interesting, he thought, pressing a button on his utility belt to single for his Bat-Plane, her discarded mask still in his hand.

Over the next few months, the two worked together, fighting side-by-side, defeating criminals, locking up super villains time and time again. Rumors of the two heroes being romantically involved spread like wild fire, something not hindered by Arachne's flirtatious attitude towards the Dark Knight, knowing it made the Caped Crusader nervous, even if only slightly. During their crusade against crime, Batman took note of her fighting style and abilities in combat. She was skilled, even when it seemed she let her guard down, or left an opening, it was merely bait, bait that many opponents tried to take advantage of, each of them falling victim to the trap swinging shut, just as she planned. She had been trained, but by who? He wondered; he'd never seen a fighting style like hers. It was controlled; even her over-extensions were deliberate and finely tuned. Behind her seemingly wild and bizarre movements, was a calculating mind, a mind that only the most intense warrior training could have developed. He also discovered that her spider-marked bracers were more than fashion. Numerous times he had witnessed her deflecting bullets and other projectiles. She was strong, stronger than he was. Easily capable of lifting small and medium sized cars. Once she had even braced a falling wall long enough for the people nearby to get to safety before getting out herself. Everyone she saved gave her their thanks. Many of the men would eye her, her outfit not leaving much to the imagination. Her outfit was more than simple cloth though, she had called it armor, and now he knew why. It never tore, never split, even dirt seemed unable to mar its surface. But despite its seemingly invulnerable qualities, it never wrinkled; it was more like a second skin to the woman, moving with her as she moved around.

"What happened to you during those five years you were gone? Where did you learn to fight like that?" came the questions she was expecting, yet dreaded having to give the answer to. The question had bothered Bruce for the better part of their time together. With a heavy sigh, Carol told as much of her story as she could. She didn't divulge the location of Themiscyra, or of their connection to the Gods. But she did tell of her training, how the Amazons accepted her into their order, and how she came across the gifts of her bracers and armor. "From the Amazons," she replied, answering the Dark Knight's question. "The Amazons? But the Amazons are just a legend of bygone days," responded Batman, in the midst of yet another battle. "They are more than a legend, they're real," Arachne came back with, "They took me in after I was thrown overboard." "They accepted me, and taught me all I know of combat," Carol started. "It was Hephaestus who made my armor and my bracers that grant me my powers," she finished while kicking a random bandit in the face. "So the island you were on..." Batman left the sentence unfinished. "Is an island protected by the Gods, no outsider is permitted to lay eyes or feet upon their shores," she finished, punching another bandit into a dream-like state, he won't be getting up for a while. "So how did you wind up there?" came the next question. "I guess the Gods saw me fit to join and learn from the Amazons, to help them prepare for the End of Days," came her answer. "End of Days?" the query came easy from Batman's lips. "The final battle between the Gods, man, and the Titans," Arachne answered, the last of the bandits lay unconscious on the ground before them. The fight was an easy one. The bandits were easily dispatched. The stories were fantastic, unreal. Surely the stories of the Gods were just that, stories. But with Carol here, those stories seemed more real than they should have. Maybe there was more to this world than what science had taught them. Arachne was proof of that. A woman with the powers of a spider demon, gifted with armor from the Gods, and doing good for all of humanity. Maybe the Grecian Gods were real. Maybe there was some hope left in this world.

Despite the good they were doing for Gotham, Arachne felt she could be of use to other cities, and their peoples, not just her home. So one day, Carol approached Bruce, telling him of her plans. Bruce was a bit hesitant with the news, that and he still hadn't figured out his feelings for the crimson-haired heroine that had shaken up his world and his city. They had become a great team, seeming to know what the other was thinking in the midst of each fight. But she was right. The reports he'd read showed crime in other cities, and with their combined effort, Gotham was quiet, at least for now. She promised to return, sealing the promise with a light kiss that the Dark Knight hadn't expected, but secretly desired. Soon she was off, heading towards Central City, where, if his sources were correct, a hero by the name of The Flash was making a name for himself. She would be a great help to an upstart hero, help set him on the right path.

End Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Flash of Lightning

Central City was farther away than she first realized. The trip took several days by bus, she hadn't bought a car since she'd been back. In truth, she hadn't needed one since she lived so close to the university, well, that and she could just swing wherever she needed to go in Gotham. Riding the bus gave her a much different view of city life. She sat next to a pregnant woman for part of the trip. She had been interesting to talk to, joyful for the new life she was about to bring into the world. The young mother-to-be was traveling to visit her family. At the stop where the young woman exited the bus, an elderly woman stepped onboard. She had many stories to tell. Stories of a long, love filled marriage, with many children and grandchildren. As she recanted her long, love-filled life, she kept knitting some colorful blanket. The whole time, Carol sat in rapt attention, part of her envious of such a wonderful, content life, another part wondering if she would ever be so lucky as to be blessed with such joy and happiness.  
The bus finally arrived at the Central City bus station after being on the road for a total of 3 days. Next time she'll take a plane. It was late at night, somewhere close to midnight. Carol was tired, hardly able to sleep on the bus. Drowsily she trudged through the city, trying to find a motel or an inn that she could check into this late. As she entered the 5th motel she had come across, she finally found one with a room available. The motel was in a shadier part of town, but she was confidant she could handle any person who would try to harm her. The room was cheap, and the door was sturdy and locked tight, she would be fine for the night. With her things put away for the night, her door locked, and herself bathed and dressed for bed, she finally allowed herself a good night's sleep.  
With the morning came a new day. Well rested, Carol Peters prepared herself for the next leg in her journey. After a quick shower, she dressed in her armor, covering it over with her street clothes. Above her armor she wore tan pants, and a nice, short-sleeved, button-up light brown shirt. Over that she chose a brown coat, the sleeves covering her bracers. She kept her tiara safely stored inside her jacket. With everything ready, she packed her things, paid for her night's rest, and left to see what this city had to offer a young woman seeking adventure. As she stepped out onto the street, she looked around; searching for a news stand where she could hopefully find ads for an apartment, after all, staying in motels every night would become too expensive. She had noticed the money Bruce had slipped into her bag the day she had left. She would have to return it to him when she returned to Gotham. Finding a news stand she paid for a few newspapers so she could peruse the local stories and get a feel for this city. Most of the stories involved armed robberies, each of which was thwarted by what was often called "The Red Blur". Someone who could move so fast they were nothing but a blur of light? That was new, Carol thought to herself. She would have to look for more information on this "Red Blur". So she set off, looking for a low-rent apartment.  
Boomerangs and ice flew all around the Scarlett Speedster; two of his rogues, Captains Boomerang and Cold, were attempting to rob a bank, again. Didn't they ever get tired of this? The "Red Blur" as the public had called him, was dashing around, avoiding attacks while evacuating innocents who hadn't fled the crime scene yet. A young voice cried out, how had he missed the child as he ran past? Quickly he looked back, seeing a small girl cowering behind a table that had been knocked over in the commotion. Thinking nothing for his own safety, The Flash stopped on a dime, and darted back to the frightened child. With the trembling girl in his arms, he turned, making his way for the exit again. That smallest of pauses in movement afforded Captain Cold the time he needed to aim and fire a blast from his Cold Gun; the icy beam reaching the fast moving feet of the Fastest Man Alive, halting his movement. The sudden lack of movement in his feet caused The Flash to fall forward, the small girl in his arms flying across the room, with him unable to reach her before she hit the floor. But before she collided with the ground, her falling was halted; the child resting safely in a pair of slender, yet strong arms of a woman he'd never seen before. She was average height for a woman, but it was her outfit that drew his attention. She wore what he could best describe as a spider-themed bathing suit with knee-high boots and what looking like large silver bracelets with a spider design on them. Who was this red-headed woman?  
Arachne had been watching the battle from a near-by rooftop; the man the newspapers called "Captain Cold" reminded her of a more thuggish version of Mr. Freeze, and this "Captain Boomerang" seemed like an overly racial themed criminal whose style had made a name for him. She saw the child, cowering behind the table and was about to move in, when she saw the man in red dash back to get her. That momentary pause was all Cold needed to aim his "Cold Gun," as he called it. When he fired, he locked the speedster's feet in place, causing him to fall, and the girl launched from his arms. She leapt into action, she had to save the girl or she could end up injured, or worse. Swinging down, the child landed in her arms safely. Handing her off to police officer, Arachne returned to the bank, she would help The Flash end this before any more damage was done. Swinging in through the main entrance, she caught Captain Boomerang off-guard, kicking him square in the face and sending him backwards. By this time, The Flash had freed his feet and was circling Captain Cold, Cold firing his freeze ray, hoping for a lucky shot. One punch, square to the face, was all it took for Cold to go down.  
With the two villains defeated, The Flash looked over to see the woman with Captain Boomerang tied up in what looked like some kind of spider web, the unconscious man slung over her shoulder. The two Rogues were left with the police as the two heroes left, meeting up several blocks away on the roof of a department store. "Thanks for the help," the Scarlett Speedster said. "No problem," the woman responded. "I've never seen you before, who are you, where'd you come from?" The Flash questioned. "You can call me Arachne, and I came from Gotham," the red-headed beauty answered. "Arachne, like the story from Greek Mythology? I thought she was half woman, half spider," stated the fastest man alive. "That's where I picked the name from," Arachne said. "So, what brings you to Central City?" The Flash asked. "Crime in Gotham was dwindling, and while I've traveled the world, I haven't really traveled the country. After hearing stories about you, and your city, I decided to travel around and help out where I can," she responded. "One last thing; why don't you wear a mask? Aren't you worried about your identity?" he asked, feeling almost guilty that he was asking so many questions of this beautiful woman. "In Gotham, there was a crisis where I didn't have time to put my mask on, so I went in without it. My secret is less important to me than the lives of innocent people," she said sincerely.  
With that the two went their separate ways, not crossing paths until the next crisis. Carol noticed that, while sharing similarities with Gotham's criminals, Central Cities "Gallery of Rogues" didn't seem to have the "Grand Master Plans" of causing chaos and destroying the city. They seemed more focused on stealing, and trying to kill The Flash. The arrival of Arachne certainly seemed to throw a wrench in their plans though. While many of them were enticed by her beauty and her costume, the knowledge of her powers and skills kept them away. Another thing that she noticed was that the city loved the Scarlett Speedster, and he loved the city. She observed him, on many occasions, helping people with seemingly menial tasks. He would chat with people about everyday things. He was far different from Batman's brooding and fear inducing image. He didn't want to inspire fear in criminals; he wanted to inspire hope in the citizens. Lastly, while The Flash certainly was attracted to her, he made no attempt to be anything more than friends; he didn't flirt with her, or ask her out to dinner. He was respectful, and kind. In a way he reminded her of Dick Grayson, Nightwing, who she'd met a few times before she left; except that Dick was more flirtatious. He was cute, she had to admit, but he was too young for her; that and she didn't want a serious relationship at the moment.  
Soon it was public knowledge in Central City that Carol Peters was Arachne, and that she was there to help. The stories of her beauty and heroics spread across the city. They even added an exhibit of her in the Flash Museum. It was still hard for her to believe that they'd made a museum dedicated to The Flash. They had exhibits detailing his deeds and his heroics; they even had a spot for his Rogues Gallery. The museum was occasionally the target of The Rogues, on the rare instances they teamed up. Even after all the damage caused from the battles, the city was quick to restore the place to its glory, usually adding in a new exhibit to detail the victory.  
Of all the villains, it was Professor Zoom, Eobard Thawne; a demented man with a weird name. Supposedly he's from the 25th century. He had the same powers as The Flash. His costume, while similar to the Scarlett Speedster, has the colors reversed; where The Flash has red, Thawne has yellow, and vice versa. One battle with the twisted "Reverse Flash" showed that even the lightning fast villain had trouble laying a finger on Arachne, whom the people had nicknamed "The Spider Queen," mistaking her tiara for a crown. Unlike other criminals, fighting Thawne pushed her to her limits, the evil speedster almost winning the fight, had The Flash not been there to take advantage of their distracted adversary. After the first encounter with Professor Zoom, Carol learned that "Red" as she liked to call him, was an accomplished scientist; he'd designed special restraints that negated abilities related to super speed. Affixing these to Thawne, the criminal was taken to Iron Heights Penitentiary, escorted by The Flash and Arachne to ensure he caused no trouble. Once he was locked up and secured behind bars, the duo left to return to the city, parting ways to return home.  
Over the next several months, The Flash and Arachne battled and defeated several foes and averted many disasters. The "Spider Queen" found The Flash to be quite inventive with his speed based powers; being able to vibrate through solid objects, spin his arms to create and direct small tornadoes, even creating large tornados by running in circles. Although not an ability, she did notice that the faster he ran, the more small bolts of electricity danced over his body. When she asked him about it, he said "That's the Speed Force." At her raised eyebrow, he continued "It's a force of energy that allows me, Kid Flash, and Professor Zoom to bend the laws of physics." "Ah," was all she said in response, science had never really been her strong suit. Kid Flash was another speedster, his costume yellow with a red lightning bold, red gloves and pants, and yellow boots, his mask, unlike his mentor's, didn't cover his hair. He wasn't as fast as The Flash, but that was more likely due to his youth. The kid had a good heart, although often felt like he was being left behind by his mentor. Arachne was pleased to see that the young speedster took after The Flash, the two acting more like family.  
Her time in Central City, while short, had come to an end. She packed her things, turned in the key to her apartment, and headed to the train station. It was here she was met by The Flash. The two said their goodbyes, ending with a hug. It wasn't long before her train arrived and she boarded. Her next destination, Starling City; she had heard reports of some hooded guy with a bow putting arrows into criminals. The Flash had warned her against going there, speaking of how half of the city's poorer district had been leveled in a freak earthquake. She wouldn't be deterred, stating that there was all the more reason for her to go and help. With that, her train left the station, taking her to a new city and a new adventure.

End Chapter Three


End file.
